Now the townsmen began to perceive what interest the captain
had, both with the court, and also with the Lord Secretary in
Mansoul; for no man before could speed when sent, nor bring
such good news from Emmanuel as he. Wherefore what do they,
after some lamentation that they made no more use of him in
their distresses, but send by their subordinate preacher to
the Lord Secretary, to desire him that all that ever they
were and had might be put under the government, care,
custody, and conduct of Captain Credence.

So their preacher went and did his errand, and received this
answer from the mouth of his Lord: that Captain Credence
should be the great doer in all the King's army, against the
King's enemies, and also for the welfare of Mansoul. So he
bowed to the ground, and thanked his Lordship, and returned
and told his news to the townsfolk. But all this was done
with all imaginable secrecy, because the foes had yet great
strength in the town. But to return to our story again.

When Diabolus saw himself thus boldly confronted by the Lord
Mayor, and perceived the stoutness of Mr. Godly-Fear, he fell
into a rage, and forthwith called a council of war, that he
might be revenged on Mansoul. So all the princes of the pit
came together, and old Incredulity at the head of them, with
all the captains of his army. So they consult what to do.
Now the effect and conclusion of the council that day was how
they might take the castle, because they could not conclude
themselves masters of the town so long as that was in the
possession of their enemies.

So one advised this way, and another advised that; but when
they could not agree in their verdict, Apollyon, that
president of the council, stood up, and thus he began: 'My
brotherhood,' quoth he, 'I have two things to propound unto
you; and my first is this. Let us withdraw ourselves from
the town into the plain again, for our presence here will do
us no good, because the castle is yet in our enemies' hands;
nor is it possible that we should take that, so long as so
many brave captains are in it, and that this bold fellow,
Godly-Fear, is made the keeper of the gates of it. Now, when
we have withdrawn ourselves into the plain, they, of their
own accord, will be glad of some little ease; and it may be,
of their own accord, they again may begin to be remiss, and
even their so being will give them a bigger blow than we can
possibly give them ourselves. But if that should fail, our
going forth of the town may draw the captains out after us;
and you know what it cost them when we fought them in the
field before. Besides, can we but draw them out into the
field, we may lay an ambush behind the town, which shall,
when they are come forth abroad, rush in and take possession
of the castle.'

But Beelzebub stood up, and replied, saying: 'It is
impossible to draw them all off from the castle; some, you
may be sure, will lie there to keep that; wherefore it will
be but in vain thus to attempt, unless we were sure that they
will all come out.' He therefore concluded that what was
done must be done by some other means. And the most likely
means that the greatest of their heads could invent, was that
which Apollyon had advised to before, namely, to get the
townsmen again to sin. 'For,' said he, 'it is not our being
in the town, nor in the field, nor our fighting, nor our
killing of their men, that can make us the masters of
Mansoul; for so long as one in the town is able to lift up
his finger against us, Emmanuel will take their parts; and if
he shall take their parts, we know what time of day it will
be with us. Wherefore, for my part,' quoth he, 'there is, in
my judgment, no way to bring them into bondage to us, like
inventing a way to make them sin. Had we,' said he, 'left
all our doubters at home, we had done as well as we have done
now, unless we could have made them the masters and governors
of the castle; for doubters at a distance are but like
objections refelled with arguments. Indeed, can we but get
them into the hold, and make them possessors of that, the day
will be our own. Let us, therefore, withdraw ourselves into
the plain, (not expecting that the captains in Mansoul should
follow us,) but yet, I say, let us do this, and before we so
do, let us advise again with our trusty Diabolonians that are
yet in their holds of Mansoul, and set them to work to betray
the town to us; for they indeed must do it, or it will be
left undone for ever.' By these sayings of Beelzebub, (for I
think it was he that gave this counsel,) the whole conclave
was forced to be of his opinion, namely, that the way to get
the castle was to get the town to sin. Then they fell to
inventing by what means they might do this thing.

Then Lucifer stood up, and said: 'The counsel of Beelzebub is
pertinent. Now, the way to bring this to pass, in mine
opinion, is this: let us withdraw our force from the town of
Mansoul; let us do this, and let us terrify them no more,
either with summons, or threats, or with the noise of our
drum, or any other awakening means. Only let us lie in the
field at a distance, and be as if we regarded them not; for
frights, I see, do but awaken them, and make them more stand
to their arms. I have also another stratagem in my head: you
know Mansoul is a market-town, and a town that delights in
commerce; what, therefore, if some of our Diabolonians shall
feign themselves far-country men, and shall go out and bring
to the market of Mansoul some of our wares to sell; and what
matter at what rates they sell their wares, though it be but
for half the worth? Now, let those that thus shall trade in
their market be those that are witty and true to us, and I
will lay my crown to pawn it will do. There are two that are
come to my thoughts already, that I think will be arch at
this work, and they are Mr. Penny-wise-pound-foolish, and Mr.
Get-i'the-hundred-and-lose-i'the-shire; nor is this man with
the long name at all inferior to the other. What, also, if
you join with them Mr. Sweet-world and Mr. Present-good; they
are men that are civil and cunning, but our true friends and
helpers. Let these, with as many more, engage in this
business for us, and let Mansoul be taken up in much
business, and let them grow full and rich, and this is the
way to get ground of them. Remember ye not that thus we
prevailed upon Laodicea, and how many at present do we hold
in this snare? Now, when they begin to grow full, they will
forget their misery; and if we shall not affright them, they
may happen to fall asleep, and so be got to neglect their
town watch, their castle watch, as well as their watch at the
gates.

'Yea, may we not, by this means, so cumber Mansoul with
abundance, that they shall be forced to make of their castle
a warehouse, instead of a garrison fortified against us, and
a receptacle for men of war. Thus, if we get our goods and
commodities thither, I reckon that the castle is more than
half ours. Besides, could we so order it that it shall be
filled with such kind of wares, then if we made a sudden
assault upon them, it would be hard for the captains to take
shelter there. Do you not know that of the parable, "The
deceitfulness of riches choke the word"? and again, "When the
heart is over-charged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and
the cares of this life," all mischief comes upon them at
unawares?

'Furthermore, my lords,' quoth he, 'you very well know that
it is not easy for a people to be filled with our things, and
not to have some of our Diabolonians as retainers to their
houses and services. Where is a Mansoulian that is full of
this world, that has not for his servants and waiting-men,
Mr. Profuse, or Mr. Prodigality, or some other of our
Diabolonian gang, as Mr. Voluptuous, Mr. Pragmatical, Mr.
Ostentation, or the like? Now these can take the castle of
Mansoul, or blow it up, or make it unfit for a garrison for
Emmanuel, and any of these will do. Yea, these, for aught I
know, may do it for us sooner than an army of twenty thousand
men. Wherefore, to end as I began, my advice is, that we
quietly withdraw ourselves, not offering any further force,
or forcible attempts, upon the castle, at least at this time;
and let us set on foot our new project, and let us see if
that will not make them destroy themselves.'

This advice was highly applauded by them all, and was
accounted the very masterpiece of hell, namely, to choke
Mansoul with a fulness of this world, and to surfeit her
heart with the good things thereof. But see how things meet
together! Just as this Diabolonian council was broken up,
Captain Credence received a letter from Emmanuel, the
contents of which were these: That upon the third day he
would meet him in the field in the plains about Mansoul.
'Meet me in the field!' quoth the Captain; 'what meaneth my
lord by this? I know not what he meaneth by meeting me in
the field.' So he took the note in his hand, and did carry
it to my Lord Secretary, to ask his thoughts thereupon; for
my Lord was a seer in all matters concerning the King, and
also for the good and comfort of the town of Mansoul. So he
showed my Lord the note, and desired his opinion thereof.
'For my part,' quoth Captain Credence, 'I know not the
meaning thereof.' So my lord did take and read it and, after
a little pause, he said, 'The Diabolonians have had against
Mansoul a great consultation to-day; they have, I say, this
day been contriving the utter ruin of the town; and the
result of their council is, to set Mansoul into such a way
which, if taken, will surely make her destroy herself. And,
to this end, they are making ready for their own departure
out of the town, intending to betake themselves to the field
again,' and there to lie till they shall see whether this
their project will take or no. But be thou ready with the
men of thy Lord, (for on the third day they will be in the
plain,) there to fall upon the Diabolonians; for the Prince
will by that time be in the field; yea, by that it is break
of day, sun-rising, or before, and that with a mighty force
against them. So he shall be before them, and thou shalt be
behind them, and betwixt you both their army shall be
destroyed.'

When Captain Credence heard this, away goes he to the rest of
the captains, and tells them what a note he had a while since
received from the hand of Emmanuel. 'And,' said he, 'that
which was dark therein hath my lord the Lord Secretary
expounded unto me.' He told them, moreover, what by himself
and by them must be done to answer the mind of their Lord.
Then were the captains glad; and Captain Credence commanded
that all the King's trumpeters should ascend to the
battlements of the castle, and there, in the audience of
Diabolus and of the whole town of Mansoul, make the best
music that heart could invent. The trumpeters then did as
they were commanded. They got themselves up to the top of
the castle, and thus they began to sound. Then did Diabolus
start, and said, 'What can be the meaning of this? they
neither sound Boot-and-saddle, nor Horse-and-away, nor a
charge. What do these madmen mean that yet they should be so
merry and glad?' Then answered one of themselves and said,
'This is for joy that their Prince Emmanuel is coming to
relieve the town of Mansoul; and to this end he is at the
head of an army, and that this relief is near.'

The men of Mansoul also were greatly concerned at this
melodious charm of the trumpets; they said, yea, they
answered one another, saying, 'This can be no harm to us;
surely this can be no harm to us.' Then said the
Diabolonians, 'What had we best to do?' and it was answered,
'It was best to quit the town;' and 'that,' said one, 'ye may
do in pursuance of your last counsel, and by so doing also be
better able to give the enemy battle, should an army from
without come upon us. So, on the second day, they withdrew
themselves from Mansoul, and abode in the plains without; but
they encamped themselves before Eye-gate, in what terrene and
terrible manner they could. The reason why they would not
abide in the town (besides the reasons that were debated in
their late conclave) was, for that they were not possessed of
the stronghold, and 'because,' said they, 'we shall have more
convenience to fight, and also to fly, if need be, when we
are encamped in the open plains.' Besides, the town would
have been a pit for them rather than a place of defence, had
the Prince come up and inclosed them fast therein. Therefore
they betook themselves to the field, that they might also be
out of the reach of the slings, by which they were much
annoyed all the while that they were in the town.

Well, the time that the captains were to fall upon the
Diabolonians being come, they eagerly prepared themselves for
action; for Captain Credence had told the captains over
night, that they should meet their Prince in the field to-
morrow. This, therefore, made them yet far more desirous to
be engaging the enemy; for 'You shall see the Prince in the
field to-morrow' was like oil to a flaming fire, for of a
long time they had been at a distance: they therefore were
for this the more earnest and desirous of the work. So, as I
said, the hour being come, Captain Credence, with the rest of
the men of war, drew out their forces before it was day by
the sally-port of the town. And, being all ready, Captain
Credence went up to the head of the army, and gave to the
rest of the captains the word, and so they to their under-
officers and soldiers: the word was 'The sword of the Prince
Emmanuel, and the shield of Captain Credence;' which is, in
the Mansoulian tongue, 'The word of God and faith.' Then the
captains fell on, and began roundly to front, and flank, and
rear Diabolus's camp.

Now, they left Captain Experience in the town, because he was
yet ill of his wounds, which the Diabolonians had given him
in the last fight. But when he perceived that the captains
were at it, what does he but, calling for his crutches with
haste, gets up, and away he goes to the battle, saying,
'Shall I lie here, when my brethren are in the fight, and
when Emmanuel, the Prince, will show himself in the field to
his servants?' But when the enemy saw the man come with his
crutches, they were daunted yet the more; 'for,' thought
they, 'what spirit has possessed these Mansoulians, that they
fight us upon their crutches?' Well, the captains, as I
said, fell on, and did bravely handle their weapons, still
crying out and shouting, as they laid on blows, 'The sword of
the Prince Emmanuel, and the shield of Captain Credence!'

Now, when Diabolus saw that the captains were come out, and
that so valiantly they surrounded his men, he concluded that,
for the present, nothing from them was to be looked for but
blows, and the dints of their 'two-edged sword.'

Wherefore he also falls on upon the Prince's army with all
his deadly force: so the battle was joined. Now who was it
that at first Diabolus met with in the fight, but Captain
Credence on the one hand, and the Lord Willbewill on the
other: now Willbewill's blows were like the blows of a giant,
for that man had a strong arm, and he fell in upon the
election doubters, for they were the life-guard of Diabolus,
and he kept them in play a good while, cutting and battering
shrewdly. Now when Captain Credence saw my lord engaged, he
did stoutly fall on, on the other hand, upon the same company
also; so they put them to great disorder. Now Captain Good-
Hope had engaged the vocation doubters, and they were sturdy
men; but the captain was a valiant man: Captain Experience
did also send him some aid; so he made the vocation doubters
to retreat. The rest of the armies were hotly engaged, and
that on every side, and the Diabolonians did fight stoutly.
Then did my Lord Secretary command that the slings from the
castle should be played; and his men could throw stones at an
hair's breadth. But, after a while, those that were made to
fly before the captains of the Prince, did begin to rally
again, and they came up stoutly upon the rear of the Prince's
army: wherefore the Prince's army began to faint; but,
remembering that they should see the face of their Prince by-
and-by, they took courage, and a very fierce battle was
fought. Then shouted the captains, saying, 'The sword of the
Prince Emmanuel, and the shield of Captain Credence!' and
with that Diabolus gave back, thinking that more aid had been
come. But no Emmanuel as yet appeared. Moreover, the battle
did hang in doubt; and they made a little retreat on both
sides. Now, in the time of respite, Captain Credence bravely
encouraged his men to stand to it; and Diabolus did the like,
as well as he could. But Captain Credence made a brave
speech to his soldiers, the contents whereof here follow:-

'Gentlemen soldiers, and my brethren in this design, it
rejoiceth me much to see in the field for our Prince, this
day, so stout and so valiant an army, and such faithful
lovers of Mansoul. You have hitherto, as hath become you,
shown yourselves men of truth and courage against the
Diabolonian forces; so that, for all their boast, they have
not yet much cause to boast of their gettings. Now take to
yourselves your wonted courage, and show yourselves men even
this once only; for in a few minutes after the next
engagement, this time, you shall see your Prince show himself
in the field; for we must make this second assault upon this
tyrant Diabolus, and then Emmanuel comes.'

No sooner had the captain made this speech to his soldiers,
but one Mr. Speedy came post to the captain from the Prince,
to tell him that Emmanuel was at hand. This news when the
captain had received, he communicated to the other field-
officers, and they again to their soldiers and men of war.
Wherefore, like men raised from the dead, so the captains and
their men arose, made up to the enemy, and cried as before,
'The sword of the Prince Emmanuel, and the shield of Captain
Credence!'

The Diabolonians also bestirred themselves, and made
resistance as well as they could; but in this last engagement
the Diabolonians lost their courage, and many of the doubters
fell down dead to the ground. Now, when they had been in
heat of battle about an hour or more, Captain Credence lift
up his eyes and saw, and, behold, Emmanuel came; and he came
with colours flying, trumpets sounding, and the feet of his
men scarce touched the ground, they hasted with that celerity
towards the captains that were engaged. Then did Credence
wind with his men to the townward, and gave to Diabolus the
field: so Emmanuel came upon him on the one side, and the
enemies' place was betwixt them both. Then again they fell
to it afresh; and now it was but a little while more but
Emmanuel and Captain Credence met, still trampling down the
slain as they came.

But when the captains saw that the Prince was come, and that
he fell upon the Diabolonians on the other side, and that
Captain Credence and his Highness had got them up betwixt
them, they shouted, (they so shouted that the ground rent
again,) saying, 'The sword of Emmanuel, and the shield of
Captain Credence!' Now, when Diabolus saw that he and his
forces were so hard beset by the Prince and his princely
army, what does he, and the lords of the pit that were with
him, but make their escape, and forsake their army, and leave
them to fall by the hand of Emmanuel, and of his noble
Captain Credence: so they fell all down slain before them,
before the Prince, and before his royal army; there was not
left so much as one doubter alive; they lay spread upon the
ground dead men, as one would spread dung upon the land.

When the battle was over, all things came into order in the
camp. Then the captains and elders of Mansoul came together
to salute Emmanuel, while without the corporation: so they
saluted him, and welcomed him, and that with a thousand
welcomes, for that he was come to the borders of Mansoul
again. So he smiled upon them, and said, 'Peace be to you.'
Then they addressed themselves to go to the town; they went
then to go up to Mansoul, they, the Prince, with all the new
forces that now he had brought with him to the war. Also all
the gates of the town were set open for his reception, so
glad were they of his blessed return. And this was the
manner and order of this going of his into Mansoul:

First. As I said, all the gates of the town were set open,
yea, the gates of the castle also; the elders, too, of the
town of Mansoul placed themselves at the gates of the town,
to salute him at his entrance thither: and so they did; for,
as he drew near, and approached towards the gates, they said,
'Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye
everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.' And
they answered again, 'Who is the King of glory?' and they
made return to themselves, 'The Lord, strong and mighty; the
Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even
lift them up, ye everlasting doors,' etc.

Secondly. It was ordered also, by those of Mansoul, that all
the way from the town gates to those of the castle, his
blessed Majesty should be entertained with the song, by them
that had the best skill in music in all the town of Mansoul:
then did the elders, and the rest of the men of Mansoul,
answer one another as Emmanuel entered the town, till he came
at the castle gates, with songs and sound of trumpets,
saying, 'They have seen thy goings, O God; even the goings of
my God, my King, in the sanctuary. So the singers went
before, the players on instruments followed after, and among
them were the damsels playing on timbrels.'

Thirdly. Then the captains, (for I would speak a word of
them,) they in their order waited on the Prince, as he
entered into the gates of Mansoul. Captain Credence went
before, and Captain Good-Hope with him; Captain Charity came
behind with other of his companions, and Captain Patience
followed after all; and the rest of the captains, some on the
right hand, and some on the left, accompanied Emmanuel into
Mansoul. And all the while the colours were displayed, the
trumpets sounded, and continual shoutings were among the
soldiers. The Prince himself rode into the town in his
armour, which was all of beaten gold, and in his chariot -
the pillars of it were of silver, the bottom thereof of gold,
the covering of it was of purple, the midst thereof being
paved with love for the daughters of the town of Mansoul.

Fourthly. When the Prince was come to the entrance of
Mansoul, he found all the streets strewed with lilies and
flowers, curiously decked with boughs and branches from the
green trees that stood round about the town. Every door also
was filled with persons, who had adorned every one their
fore-part against their house with something of variety and
singular excellency, to entertain him withal as he passed in
the streets: they also themselves, as Emmanuel passed by, did
welcome him with shouts and acclamations of joy, saying,
'Blessed be the Prince that cometh in the name of his Father
Shaddai.'

Fifthly. At the castle gates the elders of Mansoul, namely,
the Lord Mayor, the Lord Willbewill, the subordinate
preacher, Mr. Knowledge, and Mr. Mind, with other of the
gentry of the place, saluted Emmanuel again. They bowed
before him, they kissed the dust of his feet, they thanked,
they blessed, and praised his Highness for not taking
advantage against them for their sins, but rather had pity
upon them in their misery, and returned to them with mercies,
and to build up their Mansoul for ever. Thus was he had up
straightway to the castle; for that was the royal palace, and
the place where his honour was to dwell; the which was ready
prepared for his Highness by the presence of the Lord
Secretary, and the work of Captain Credence. So he entered
in.

Sixthly. Then the people and commonalty of the town of
Mansoul came to him into the castle to mourn, and to weep,
and to lament for their wickedness, by which they had forced
him out of the town. So when they were come, bowed
themselves to the ground seven times; they also wept, they
wept aloud, and asked forgiveness of the Prince, and prayed
that he would again, as of old, confirm his love to Mansoul.

To the which the great Prince replied, 'Weep not, but go your
way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions to
them for whom nought is prepared; for the joy of your Lord is
your strength. I am returned to Mansoul with mercies, and my
name shall be set up, exalted, and magnified by it.' He also
took these inhabitants, and kissed them, and laid them in his
bosom.

Moreover, he gave to the elders of Mansoul, and to each town
officer, a chain of gold and a signet. He also sent to their
wives earrings and jewels, and bracelets, and other things.
He also bestowed upon the true-born children of Mansoul many
precious things.

When Emmanuel, the Prince, had done all these things for the
famous town of Mansoul, then he said unto them, first, 'Wash
your garments, then put on your ornaments, and then come to
me into the castle of Mansoul.' So they went to the fountain
that was set open for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in; and
there they washed, and there they made their 'garments
white,' and came again to the Prince into the castle, and
thus they stood before him.

And now there was music and dancing throughout the whole town
of Mansoul, and that because their Prince had again granted
to them his presence and the light of his countenance; the
bells also did ring, and the sun shone comfortably upon them
for a great while together.

The town of Mansoul did also now more thoroughly seek the
destruction and ruin of all remaining Diabolonians that abode
in the walls, and the dens that they had in the town of
Mansoul; for there was of them that had, to this day, escaped
with life and limb from the hand of their suppressors in the
famous town of Mansoul.

But my Lord Willbewill was a greater terror to them now than
ever he had been before; forasmuch as his heart was yet more
fully bent to seek, contrive, and pursue them to the death;
he pursued them night and day, and did put them now to sore
distress, as will afterwards appear.

After things were thus far put into order in the famous town
of Mansoul, care was taken, and order given by the blessed
Prince Emmanuel, that the townsmen should, without further
delay, appoint some to go forth into the plain to bury the
dead that were there, - the dead that fell by the sword of
Emmanuel, and by the shield of the Captain Credence, - lest
the fumes and ill savours that would arise from them might
infect the air, and so annoy the famous town of Mansoul.
This also was a reason of this order, namely, that, as much
as in Mansoul lay, they might cut off the name, and being,
and remembrance of those enemies from the thought of the
famous town of Mansoul and its inhabitants.

So order was given out by the Lord Mayor, that wise and
trusty friend of the town of Mansoul, that persons should be
employed about this necessary business; and Mr. Godly-Fear,
and one Mr. Upright, were to be overseers about this matter:
so persons were put under them to work in the fields, and to
bury the slain that lay dead in the plains. And these were
their places of employment: some were to make the graves,
some to bury the dead, and some were to go to and fro in the
plains, and also round about the borders of Mansoul, to see
if a skull, or a bone, or a piece of a bone of a doubter, was
yet to be found above ground anywhere near the corporation;
and if any were found, it was ordered, that the searchers
that searched should set up a mark thereby, and a sign, that
those that were appointed to bury them might find it, and
bury it out of sight, that the name and remembrance of a
Diabolonian doubter might be blotted out from under heaven;
and that the children, and they that were to be born in
Mansoul, might not know, if possible, what a skull, what a
bone, or a piece of a bone of a doubter was. So the buriers,
and those that were appointed for that purpose, did as they
were commanded: they buried the doubters, and all the skulls
and bones, and pieces of bones of doubters, wherever they
found them; and so they cleansed the plains. Now also Mr.
God's-Peace took up his commission, and acted again as in
former days.